


You'd Better Learn to Fly

by Huntress8611



Category: The Umbrella Academy, The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Crying, Gen, Good Brother Diego Hargreeves, Good Sister Vanya Hargreeves, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Needs Help, No Incest, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Protective Vanya Hargreeves, Stuttering, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-18 04:39:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18113474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntress8611/pseuds/Huntress8611
Summary: Prompt:Diego listens to police scanners due to his vigilante night time activities. One night he hears the dispatcher saying that a drug addict is trying to commit suicide. This hits home for Diego, due to his brother Klaus’ relationship with both drugs and death, so he goes to check it out. When he sees the police are there he is about to leave when he sees who the person about to kill themself is. It’s Klaus, his little brother (I say that the numbers are similar to their relationship, like Luther is the oldest, Vanya the youngest, and Klaus the middle child). He gets past the police and confronts his brother. I want Diego to try and guilt Klaus out of doing this by saying, “how and I supposed to tell our younger sister that all three of her favorite siblings are dead!” (By this I mean Vanya.) (This is pre-canon and they believe Five to be dead despite Klaus not being able to contact him). I would really like two POVs to this. One of Diego, and another of the cops, the cops being all confused when Diego calls him number 4 or séance.





	1. Please Don’t Let Go or You’ll Fall Into the Dead of Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kaya_mckay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaya_mckay/gifts).
  * Inspired by [I'm trying my best to be the best for you](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18066257) by [DearLittleRobin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DearLittleRobin/pseuds/DearLittleRobin). 
  * Inspired by [Beauty walks the razor's edge (I'll give you shelter from the storm)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18067715) by [KawaiiKitsuneGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KawaiiKitsuneGirl/pseuds/KawaiiKitsuneGirl). 
  * Inspired by [If the World Comes Crashing Down (Hold on to me)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18078872) by [StupidGenius](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StupidGenius/pseuds/StupidGenius). 
  * Inspired by [Superboy, All Grown Up](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18088229) by [StupidGenius](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StupidGenius/pseuds/StupidGenius). 
  * Inspired by [What I miss](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18105236) by [well_i_tried](https://archiveofourown.org/users/well_i_tried/pseuds/well_i_tried). 
  * Inspired by [I can't lose you too](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18108632) by [SharkEnthusiast](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SharkEnthusiast/pseuds/SharkEnthusiast). 



> The title of this work is from In the Heat of the Moment by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. (I also wrote this while listening to that song.) I used concepts from the many other fics that were based off of this prompt, as well as some that were just incredibly similar.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The hell you think you’re doing, Diego?” Eudora shouts, grabbing at his arm.
> 
> “That’s- He’s-” Diego tried to say.
> 
> “You know him?”
> 
> “My b-b-br-b-” Damnit, Diego! This is important. “My b-brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is from In the Heat of the Moment by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.

“ _W_ _e’ve got a jumper on the bridge. He’s young, high, and talking to the air, over._ ” Diego heard over his stolen police scanner.

He turned his car around and floored the gas, the car speeding up so fast that the tires left skid marks on the road behind him. He slowed down as he arrived at the bridge, stepping out of his car and looking around for the jumper. He spots him on the other side of the railing in the middle of the bridge and his heart stops. He’s wearing some ridiculous leather pants and a huge fur coat and all Diego can think is _Klaus_ . As he got closer he broke into a jog. _Holy shit, that’s my brother_ , he realized, pushing his way past the barricade.

“The hell you think you’re doing, Diego?” Eudora shouts, grabbing at his arm.

“That’s- He’s-” Diego tried to say.

“You know him?”

“My b-b-br-b-” _Damnit, Diego! This is important._ “My b-brother.”

She looked at him and, seeinging the expression on his face, let go of his arm. “Go.”

He barely heard Eudora explaining his presence to Santiago as he ran up to the railing and leaned over. His brother had managed to walk to the end of a metal support beam that was sticking out of the bridge.

“Klaus!” he yelled, “Klaus, what are you doing?”

Klaus didn’t respond, continuing staring at the water below.

_Shit._ He steeled himself, knowing that this was probably the only way to get Klaus’ attention at this point. He also knew that it could ruin his career, but his brother was more important than _anything_ he could lose.

“NUMBER FOUR, GET YOUR ASS BACK ON THE BRIDGE!”

He heard gasps and someone tried to reach for his arm, but he tuned everything out and climbed over the rail, moving closer to Klaus.

“Fuck off, Two!” Klaus shouted back, flipping him the bird.

“Not until you get back on the bridge, Four,” he responded, relieved that his brother could at least hear him.

“Why the hell would I want to do that? Everyone hates me anyway!”

“What, you want me to have to tell Seven that you’re dead too? How am I supposed to tell our little sister that not one, but _all three_ of her favorite siblings are dead?” Diego shouted, his voice shaky.

“Why do you even care?” Klaus said quietly, barely audible over the wind.

Diego took the opportunity to move closer to Klaus, setting a hand on his shoulder.

“Klaus, I l-love you. You’re my _brother_ , I’d do a-anything f-for you.”

“Bullshit.”

“Klaus, every single t-ti-time they mention a junkie over the police s-scanner I show up, because I can’t ever shake the thought that it might be you!”

“Really?” Klaus whispered, looking up at him.

“K-K-Klaus, I love you so g-goddamn much. You used to s-s-sneak i-into my room, you and B-B-Ben, remember? We’d b-b-build pillow forts and eat the j-junk food we managed to sneak past D-D-D-Dad. I r-remember how you’d sometimes c-c-come to m-my room when you’d h-have n-n-nightmares. Klaus, I don’t k-know _w-wh-what_ I’d do if you d-d-d-died.”

Klaus burst into tears and leaned against Diego.

“Y-you think we can get back on the bridge now?”

Klaus nodded, and Diego helped him stand up on the wide beam, holding his hand and leading him to the railing.

Klaus hesitated at the railing. “Are they gonna swarm me the second I climb over? I don’t wanna deal with all of those people, Dee.”

“Th-they should only send a few p-p-people over, and I- I’ll be there w-with you, little brother.”

Diego climbed over the railing and helped Klaus over, both men falling to the ground. He wrapped his arms tightly around Klaus, who had fisted his hands in his brother’s jacket and begun to sob.

“It’s gonna be okay, I’ve g-g-gotcha. Y-you’re s-safe, I’m n-n-not g-going anywhere” Diego murmured, carefully running his fingers through his brother’s curly hair.

He stood up, not letting go of Klaus, and Eudora walked up to him.

“What the fuck, Diego.”

“Now is r-really not the time, Eudora,” he said.

“You’ve got some explaining to do later, got it?”

“Yeah, I k-know.”

“Go, take him home.”

“ _Thank you._ ”

Diego led Klaus to the car and helped him into the passenger seat before shutting the door and bolting to the other side and climbing in.

They drove back to Diego’s apartment in silence, Klaus crying in the passenger seat. When they got there, Diego helped his brother up the stairs and unlocked his dor. He led his brother to his bed and made him sit down.

“It’s late. C’mon, you need to sleep,” Diego said, pulling Klaus’ shoes off.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, Klaus… I’m not mad at you. I was just scared.”

Klaus sniffled and Diego sat next to him, pulling him into a hug.

“I- I’m really glad you showed up, Dee," Klaus said.

“Me too, Klaus. Me too.”


	2. They Tell Me You’ve Touched the Face of God

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Start talking, López.”
> 
> “That’s actually a great starting point,” Diego said, glad for the opening.
> 
> “What?” Jake asked, confused.
> 
> “That’s not actually my last name.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is from In the Heat of the Moment by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.

The next morning he woke up to Klaus making… eggs? He got up and got dressed before walking into the little kitchen. Sure enough, Klaus was humming and scrambling what appeared to be half a dozen eggs. He quickly said good morning before sitting on his couch. Diego picked up the phone and took a deep breath before dialing the familiar number.

_ “This is Vanya speaking, who is this? _ ”

“Vanya, it’s Diego.”

“ _ I thought you never wanted to talk to me again, Diego, _ ” she said coldly.

“Vanya, wait! It’s Klaus.”

“ _ What happened, is he okay? _ ”

“He is now. He was sitting on one of the beams sticking out from the bridge. He was planning on jumping, Vanya.”

“ _ Oh my god. _ ”

“Please, can you come over? I have to explain why I called him Number Four to the police and I don’t wanna leave him alone.”

“ _ Yeah, I’m on my way. I hope you know I’m sleeping at your place for a while, though. _ ”

“I expected nothing less.”

_ “I’ll be there in 30 minutes, _ ” she said before she hung up.

Diego put down the phone and sighed, staying on the couch to wait for Vanya.

About 30 minutes later, someone knocked on Diego’s door. He let Vanya in and she stared at him for a minute before deciding to pull him into a hug. He immediately returned the embrace and whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Vanya.”

“I know,” she responded, “I forgive you, Diego.”

She let him go and walking into the kitchen where Klaus, who apparently had a  _ serious _ case of the munchies, was diligently trying to consume everything in both Diego’s fridge and his pantry.

“Vanya!” he heard Klaus say, right before he heard Vanya let out a noise that sounded like she’d gotten hit with a battering ram.

_ For such a small dude he can really knock the air out of you with a hug. _

He smiled and walked out, quietly shutting the door behind him. The took a deep breath as he climbed into his car, psyching himself up for the conversation he was about to have.

He walked into the precinct and was quickly intercepted by Eudora and his old partner from the police academy, Jake Santiago.

Eudora led them into an interrogation room and Diego snorted. “Really, Eudora? An interrogation room?”

“Did you want to do this in the middle of the precinct? Because I can make that happen,” she said, moving towards the door.

“No way. Definitely not.”

“Perfect. Start talking, López.”

“That’s actually a great starting point,” Diego said, glad for the opening.

“What?” Jake asked, confused.

“That’s not actually my last name.”

“The fuck, Diego?” Jake said.

Diego took a deep breath. “Remember the Umbrella Academy? From when we were kids?”

“Yeah, those kids with superpowers that were on the news all the time,” Eudora remembered, “But what does that have to do with anything?”

“A whole fuckin’ lot,” he said under his breath.

“Dude, you’re gonna have to speak up,” said Jake.

“My name is actually Diego Hargreeves, or Number 2,” he said, doing his best to project confidence, “but you probably know me better as the Kraken,” he said, throwing a knife forwards and hitting the wall directly behind him.

“Are you serious right now?” Jake asked.

“Deadly,” he responded, turning to pull his knife from the wall and twirling it in fingers to help himself calm down.

“Wait, you called your brother Number Four. That was the Séance?” Eudora asked, putting the pieces together.

“Yep. His name is Klaus.”

“The Séance is a junkie that wears giant fur coats and ridiculous leather pants?”

“Yeah. At least he wasn’t wearing heels. He’d’ve probably fallen off,” Diego said, shivering at the thought.

“Why the hell didn’t you ever tell us this?” Jake exclaimed.

“I don’t exactly announce it, and after Vanya published that book… let’s just say I definitely wasn’t telling anyone then.”

“Wait, if you’re here does that mean your brother’s alone?” Jae asked.

“No, I called Vanya. She’s with him, but I should probably go anyway,” he said.

“Yeah, go back to your family, Diego,” Eudora said with a smile.

Diego waved goodbye as he walked out, ready to do whatever it took to help his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Diego was totally stimming by twirling his knife. He has an anxiety disorder and nobody can convince me otherwise.
> 
> Also, if anyone has ideas for additional chapters, put them in the comments. I wouldn't be opposed to writing more in this verse.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea how police radios work or where the Umbrella Academy takes place, so I’m just going with some of the stuff I read from similar fics (in regards to locations and procedures and shit).
> 
> Anybody catch the (partly-correct) Brooklyn Nine-Nine reference?


End file.
